Gas engine



"No Model.)

C. M. RHODES.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 531,861. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES M. RHODES, OF WAYNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

eA's-ENciNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,861, dated January 1, 1895.,

Application filed March 17, 1894. Serial No. 504.068. (No modela To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that 1, CHARLES M. RHODES, of Wayne, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GasEngines, of which the following is aspeciiication, due reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates generally to engines, and specifically to a construction of engine best adapted for the use of gas, oil or the like in generating and transmitting power, and

i has special reference to certain novel features of construction and operation in a preferred horizontal design or form of engine hereinafter fully described, to the end that the same shall be cheap and simple in construction, economic in operation and reduce to a minimum all frictional wear of the parts.

In the drawing I have shown so much of a gas-engine embodying my invention as is necessary to illustrate the construction and operation of the same, the view being a plan sectional one taken as to the central longitudinal axis of the engine.

Referring now to the drawing in which the `several parts are indicated by numerals, similar numerals denoting like parts wherever found, 1 1 is a pair of iiy or driving-wheels and 2 the driving arm connecting the same and working them in unison; the former prop erly mounted on respective crank-shafts 3, 3X suitably journaled in proper bearings therefor. Connected to these crank-shafts are pistons and piston-heads 4, 4, working simultaneously in opposite ends of a cylinder 5,- that'is to say, making in and out strokes together. Midway the extent of this cylinder 5, at one side thereof, is a jacket 6 divided by a partition 6X forming two compartments or chambers 6A 6B, and having two port or valve openings 7, 7X in communication with the chamber of the cylinder 5 each provided preferably with a puppet valve 8, 8) mounted for end to end movement only 5 and further provided on its under surface or bottom with two ports 9, 10, respectively in open communication with the respective chambers 6^ 6B of said jacket 6. The stems S SB of the valves 8, 8*,extend beyond the jacket (i after passing through its respective chambers, and

on their outer ends are preferably provided with springs and rollers Si 8 all for purposes hereinafter fully explained.

A high-speedgovernor 11 is suitably mounted by means of toggleconnections 11A with a pair of collars 11B 1lC on a crank-shaft S-the collar 11C provided with an annular groove 11C. The outer end of the said shaft 3 is provided with acog-gear 12. meshing with another cog-gear 13 (the gearing being preferably in two to one relation as to diameter) mounted on a sleeve 14: working on a piu or arm 15 adjacent to said crank-shaft 3. The sleeve 14C is further provided with a double cam-wheel 16,16)C and a collar 17 provided with a groove 17X, while the pin 15 is provided with a head 15x at its outer end and a jamnut 15A at its opposite end, the gear 13, sleeve 14, cam-wheel 16, 16X. and collar 17 being preferably made in one casting, and when mounted on the pin or arm 15, which is stationary, has endwise play between the head 15X and nut 15L of said arm 15, for a purpose presently made clear.

, 18 is an arm having a pin or stud 18X 1SX at each end working respectively in the grooves 11c and 17X in the periphery of the collars 11C and 17; said arm 18 being pivotally mounted and fulcrumed between said collars for a purpose to be explained.

The cam-wheel 16, 16 is double in construction, so to speak, that is to say, two cams in one integral structure, one of said cams 16 having an even periphery, while the other cam 16X has an uneven or irregular shaped periphery or face that at one point thereof merges and becomes iiush with the periphery of its component part 16, for a reason hereinafter more fully set forth.

l Mounted horizontally iu suitable bearings adjacent to the valve-stems S 8B and camwheel 16, 16X, is a rod or shaft 19, provided at one end with a roller 20, kept in contact with the cam 16,16 by a spring 21 at the opposite end of the rod or shaft. This rod or shaft 19 is further provided with a cam 22, preferably of a construction having a flat top and inclined sides, working in conjunction with the valve-stems 8A 8B to raise and lower the same to open and close the valves.

23 indicates ignitin g means of any preferred ICO y At this time construction adapted to timely explode a charge of gas or the like at the completion of the compression of the gas.

Having now described the several component parts of an engine constructed in accordance with my invention, the operation is as follows:

To take in a charge of gas, the pistons being at the center of the cylinder and all the parts in position represented in the drawing, and the port 9 in connection with a source of gas-supply, a turn is given the drivingwheels 1 1 which rotate the crank-shafts 3 3 and component parts and draw the pistons to the respective ends of cylinder 5, the roller 2O on the rod 19 sinking into a low depression on the periphery of the part 16 of the cam- Wheel as the latter slowly rotates, and the rod 19 is moved toward the cam-wheel16, 16X by the action of its spring 21. This forward movement of the rod 19 causes the valve-stem 8A of the mixing chamber 6A of the jacket 6 to ride the cam 22 on the rod 19 and open the valve 8, the gas owing through the port 9 into the chamber 6HL and then-ce through the open valve S to the piston or compressioncylinder 5. Simultaneously with this action the rotating parts are increasing in momentum and the roller 20 in turn travels up a presented inclined periphery of the cam-portion 16X, pushing backward the rod 19 and permitting the gradual closing of the valve 8 as the rod-cam 22 moves away from the valvestem 8A and the latter descends the inclined side of said cam 22 until the valve is closed. the pistons will have reached the respective ends of the cylinders 5 and completed the outer or first stroke, the charge of gas has been taken in and all port connections with the piston cylinder closed, while the governor 11 will have greatly increased in speed, whereupon the pistons immediately commence their inward, second or compression stroke. The governor 1l as its speed increases gradually opens or spreads its ballends, and in so doing lifts or draws backward on the shaft 3 the collar 11C, and this by reason of its toggle-connection 11A. therewith. This action of the governor on the collar 11C in the groove 11c whereof works one end of the pivoted fulcrumed arm 18, causes the opposite end of said arm 18 which works in a groove of the collar 17 on an adjacent arm 15 to move forward ou said arm the collar 17, cam-wheel16, 16X, sleeve 14 and gear 13 until the boss 14x reaches the head 15 of said arm 15. During this operation the roller 2O has slowly reached the highest point on the periphery of the camportion 16X, which as stated, is flush with the periphery of the cam-portion 16, and by reason of the high speed now attained by the governor and the consequent moving through the fulcrum connection 18, of the parts mounted on the arm 15,-the roller 2O is caused to mount or travel toward the periphery of the said cam-portion 16. At this time the pistons havel completed their inner or second stroke and the act of compression is completed and ignition or explosion now takes place causing the pistons to quickly make their next outer or third stroke and so imparting increased momentum to the rotating parts and the driving-wheels 1l, and the power so derived transmitted thence in the usual manner. As stated, at the time of the completion of the act ofcompression, the roller 2O had about reached the highest periphery of the cam 16X. The explosion and consequentincreased momentum soimparted, speeds the governor 11 and causes it to complete its full action on the several parts through the medium of the fulcrum 18 as previously stated, whereupon the roller 20 will mount and travel on the periphery ofthe cam-portion 16, thus moving backward the rod 19 and causing the valve stem 8B to travel the cam 22 on said rod, as the latter moves under the same, and open the exhaust-valve 8x and the pistons have nowcompleted their third stroke. The speed of the governor now decreases as the force of the power generated by the explosion diminishes, allowing the parts to gradually return to their first positions-the pistons making their next inner or fourth stroke exhausting the exploded gas through the valve 8X, chamber 6B and exhaust-port 10, at the completion of which stroke the waste gas will be exhausted from the cylinder 5, the exhaust valve 8X closed and all the parts again in position to take in a charge of gas and repeat the operation of mixing, compressing, igniting or exploding and exhausting charges of gas or the like for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

I desire it understood4 that I do not wish to restrict my invention to the exact construction of parts as shown and described, as it is obvious that many changes in detail of construction may be adopted without departing from the spirit of my invention strictly as such; and though I have herein described my invention as employing gas as a means of generating power, slight changes of construction entirely within the skill of a person skilled in the particular art of manufacture and operation of engines of the class described would adapt the same for the use of oil or other power generating medium employed in an engine.

I claim- 1. In a gas or other engine in combination with the piston cylinder, its pistons, crankshaft and other connected gearing; mixing and exhaust chambers rhaving supply and exhaust ports respectively and valved connection with the piston cylinder,a high-speed governor, collars on a crank-shaft rotating therewith and of which one is grooved and movable thereon, means intermediate said governor and collars for sliding the grooved-collar as the speed of the governor increases or decreases, a stationary arm mounted adjacent thereto, carrying a movable sleeve provided with a grooved-collar, a cam-wheel and a cog- IIO wheel, the latter meshing with a cog-wheel increases or decreases; a stationary arm z5 mounted on said shaft and rotated by the mounted adjacent thereto and carrying a same, means intermediate said grooved-colmovable sleeve provided with a collar having lars and in contact therewith for sliding the an annular peripheral groove, a cam-wheel of sleeve and its mounted parts as the speed the character described and a cog-Wheel, the

of the governor increases or decreases, and latter meshing with a cog-Wheel mounted on 3o means intermediate said cam -wheel and the crank-shaft stated, and rotated by the valves for opening and closing the valves at same, a pivoted fulcrumed arm, the respectpredetermined intervals, as and for the purive ends of which are adapted to Work in the 1o poses set forth. grooved-collars stated, a sliding rod, means 2. ln a gas or other engine the following for retaining the same in contact with the 35 elements in combination: the piston cylinder, cam-wheel and provided with means adapted its pistons, crank-shafts and other connected to act in conjunction with the valve-stems to gearing therefor, mixing and exhaust chamopen and close the valves stated at predeter- :5 hers having supply and exhaust ports remined intervals? and means for ignit'ing spectively and each provided with valved concharges of gas and the like, as and for the 4o nection with the piston cylinder, the valvepurposes set forth. stems whereof extend through and beyond ln testimony whereof l have hereunto said chambers, a high-speed governor, collars signed my name this 16th day of March, A. D.

zo on a crank-shaft and rotating therewith, one 1894.

of which is grooved on its periphery and CHARLES M. RHODES.

movable on said shaft and means intermediln presence of ate said governor and collars for sliding the A. P. RUTHERFORD, grooved-collar as the speed of the governor JOHN JOLLEY, Jr. 

